Marie-Clémence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart
Marie-Clémence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart (2nd October 1712 - 20th December 1738) was a Grandelumierian noblewoman and Marquise de Montespan. A woman of outstanding beauty, she was much feared by her fellow courtiers on account of the famous Mortemart wit for which her family was renowned, and held great sway over the court. A passionate lover of the arts, she enjoyed her debauched life – until she died a gruesome death in 1737. Born in 1717 at L'Hôtel de Vivonne, Paris, Grandelumière into the illustrious de Rochechouart de Mortemart family, Gabrielle was the 4th sister of the famous Mortemarettes and was considered the most debauched of them all. Biography Birth Marie-Clémence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart was born on the 2nd October 1712, to the Marquis and Marquise de Montpipeau. Gabrielle, or more formally, Mademoiselle de Mortemart, possessed the blood of two of the oldest noble families of Grandelumière through her parents. Early Childhood The lifestyle of her father caused domestic feuding and financial trouble. Gabriel de Rochechouart de Mortemart was a man of good tastes and this extended also to women. The Marquis de Montpipeau had mistresses, constituting of various members of the Parisian social scene. Often they were a married woman well past her prime, but the Marquis fell head over heels for them and lived with them, quite openly. They were mainly the hostess of successful salons and although they weren’t young anymore, they had many admirers to due to their lovely nature and intelligence. Gabrielle witnessed it all might have learned that a woman can have success on her own, never minding adultery if she is smart and charming enough like her father’s mistresses. The whole mistress and wife situation did cost her father a bit of money, which in turn meant that Gabrielle’s dowry was smaller than it should be for someone of her status. Childhood Gabriel de Rochechouart de Mortemart passed away in 1719, leaving his widow destitute with a brood of unmarried children. Madame de Montpipeau, suddenly discovering a vocation to take the veil, placed her children into the care of Louis Chrétien Hercules de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Archevêque de Paris. Louis Chrétien announced that she was to be sent to L'Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris. In the convent, Gabrielle learned what was deemed essential knowledge for a girl of a good house; how to run a large household, needlework, dancing, writing, reading, some geography, and history. Adolescence Gabrielle left the convent and joined the court as fille d’honneur in service of Marie IV. All noticed her piquant, natural and playful conversation. An admirer wrote: "Pour la beauté la plus surprenante, elle a ajouté l'esprit le plus vivant, le plus beau, le plus cultivé, cet esprit héréditaire dans sa famille" ("To the most surprising beauty, she added the most lively, the finest, the best-cultivated spirit, that hereditary spirit in her family") All were charmed by the beautiful Gabrielle. Mademoiselle de Mortemart ridiculed many people, merely to amuse the Empress and those around her. Her touches of sarcasm, however, were not without danger. The courtiers sometimes feared them. There were catchwords which baffled the uninitiated: Bourguignon, for example, stood for everything dull and dreary. A judgment would be given by a Mortemart with seeming innocence, even with naivety and yet in its own way it would be quite devastating. And certainly, where Gabrielle was concerned, this lovely rose had thorns. Gabrielle was married to Louis Henri de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Marquis of Montespan, who was one year her junior. Louis Chrétien gave Raphaëlle a dowry of 50,000 livres. Even with marriage, and motherhood behind her, debauchery wouldn’t come to a foreseeable. Her involvement with various courtiers was more emotionally sensitive than anything else. Louis- Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois,'' Prince d'Esquilache'' and Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul, Duc de Choiseul are examples of this. One can assume that there were only innocent kisses and chivalrous behavior rather than anything of a lewd nature. Monsieur was so overcome with passion for Gabrielle that he quite literally swept her off her feet. It was only when the Cardinal de Mortemart walked in upon the scene that the encounter was hastily stopped. As a result, Monsieur was subject to a severe scolding by the Empress. Even though Gabrielle did not return any physical favors, this is not to say that she wasn't at fault. Her uncle would write: “Gabrielle est la créature de chasse au mariage la plus ridicule et stupide dont je me suis souvenu” (“Gabrielle is the most ridiculous and stupid marriage hunting creature I remembered”) Gabrielle enjoyed playing the role of hostess at her Pavilion de l’Aurore. She filled her pavilion with her favorite Rococo furniture. The result was a paradise, compared by Mademoiselle to the palace of the enchantress Armide and by another to the House of Venus. Here tuberoses, jasmine, roses, and carnations bestowed their perfume. Decline and Death After the birth of her youngest, Francoise-Marie Athénaïs, Gabrielle began complaining of an intermittent, intense pain in her side. She dismissed the pains as possible after-effects of childbirth which she had usually suffered. Monsieur le Prince wrote: "Les jets et les sourires fréquents de la femme ne sont que des crises de toux et de gémissements, on ne peut qu'imaginer sa souffrance en dehors de l'œil public" ("The woman's frequent jets and smiles are merely crises of coughing and moaning, one can only imagine her suffering outside the public eye.") Gabrielle put off the matter, dismissing her illness with the line "There's never been a sickly Mortemart". Gabrielle wasn't known to cry or carry on floods of tears, but on occasions she was caught sobbing in her chambers. Le Grand Dauphin happened to be passing through his favorite's chamber, since his and hers were connected, as Gabrielle was experiencing sharp pains in her side: “Colic, Monseigneur!, une attaque de coliques”("Colic, Monseigneur!, an attack of colic”) Gabrielle managed to gasp out. Keeping up the acquired fiction, Gabrielle urged her doctor, the accoucheur, to make sure the pains were gone before anyone else arrived. Her room was filled with tuberoses so that their delicious, dominating perfume would cover up any offensive smells. Gabrielle's end wasn't a pretty one. Whilst playing a game of Rambouillet, Gabrielle lost control of most of her senses. Her vision had blurred and her actions were erratic. Gabrielle was a sight for sensitive eyes. Her eyesight was poor and her mind was all a muddle. What a sad parody of the young woman who once played cards with such vivacious and gaiety. Then at one moment, all composure left the Marquise. In an outburst of sheer frustration, she left the Salon and retired to her chambers. It was the Dauphin who discovered Gabrielle upon the floor of her chambers, and it was he who called for assistance. She was examined by the Doctor, who announced that no bleeding could do anything to save her. The slender and pale throat had begun to close and there was nothing to be done. After the last rights were given, various persons came to pay their respects to their beloved Marquise. Marie-Clémence Gabrielle de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Mademoiselle de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan, died of an acute peritonitis following the perforation of a peptic ulcer. She was in her 25th year. Personality and Appearance In every way majestic; her complexion, her throat, her arms, were admirable; she had a beautiful pouting mouth, with beautiful teeth, and cheeks sharp and prominent, which interfered with, but did not spoil her beauty. She had, however, fine eyelashes, with lusciously elegant, blond-coloured hair. Having inherited her parent's passion for music and dance, Gabrielle became an accomplished dancer. When she was younger, she played "Youth" in a ballet dedicated to Dauphiné Christine. She also inherited the infamous espirit de Mortemart, which made her popular with some but not with others. Issue * Louis-Victor de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Marquis d'Antin (13th August 1730 - Present) * Louis-Chrétien-Hercules de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Marquis de Mézière (27th July 1731 - Present) * Madeline-Clémence de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Mademoiselle de Rocques ''(3th September 1732 - Present) * Marie-Gabrielle Adélaïde de Pardaillan de Gondrin, ''Mademoiselle de Gouft ''(29th August 1733 - Present) * Auguste Marie Valentin de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Baron de Pardaillan (22rd March 1734 - Present) * Charles Andre de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Baron de Gondrin (10th May 1735 - Present) * Louis Fontaine Philippe de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Baron de Termes (26th July 1736 - Present) * Françoise Élisabeth Marguerite Zéphyrine de Pardaillan de Gondrin, ''Mademoiselle de Moncontour (26th August 1738 - Present) Titles, Styles, and Honours Titles and Styles * 2nd October 1712 - May 1737 Mademoiselle de Mortemart * 'Unknown - 25th May 1737 '''Madame la Marquise de Montespan * "'La Mortemarette" '''(Note: Not a style but a nickname given her by contemporaries) Category:18th Century Births Category:18th Century Deaths Category:House Rochechouart de Mortemart Category:House Pardaillan de Gondrin Category:Grandelumierian Nobility Category:Imperial Household Category:Grandelumierian Marquis